Leonce and Lena

Information

The Hungarian Theatre of Cluj was founded in 1792 and was the first Hungarian theatre company in Transylvania. Transylvania is now part of modern day Romania, and the Hungarian Theatre of Cluj functions as a repertory theatre, entirely subsidized by the Romanian Ministry of Culture and National Heritage. Performances are presented in Hungarian, with simultaneous translation into Romanian or English usually available.

The defining periods of the theatre were shaped by directors of international fame who are considered key figures of Hungarian and European theatre, including Gyula E. Kovács, the initiator of the Shakespeare-series, Jenő Janovics, founder of the first Hungarian film studio, and György Harag, a great Maestro of the theatre in Romania.

In 1990 Gábor Tompa was appointed artistic director of the Hungarian Theatre of Cluj. Under his leadership, the theatre has continued Harag's tradition of innovation, based on a repertoire that includes classic masterpieces as well as contemporary plays. During the last 20 years the Hungarian Theatre of Cluj has aligned with the new trends of contemporary theatre and taken its place in the circuit of European theatres.